Firstly, what an absolutely amazing ride it has been so far! I have been on and off with this for a while as I have soooo many things to read, but it is always delightful to return to, like an old friend.

Volume 5 being the first two-parter on one floor is quite interesting. Kawahara-san mentions in the A/N that he wants to “get it out of [his] system,” but just like I did not mind my bookshelf having 100 books of it for SAO to be fully fleshed out with every floor having been gone through(ambitious and exactly what I was crestfallen about with the OG Anime that they not only did not do that, but did not even face the final boss), I do not mind that being 200+ if more two-parters are thrown in. Though it seems like even early on there is a bit of a tension between book-per and two-floors-per. I do not mind necessarily a short floor as a transitional filler but still notable, but I much more prefer the book-per or books-per like Volume Five and my upcoming read of Volume Six will be.

Onto the Volume itself, I was absolutely rooting for Kirito to defeat Morte/Morumo, though plot armor aside, it still did make perfect sense that his shrill companion using his real(?) name broke through his shock, and Kirito hesitating so early on in the game, him being young as he is, is also completely believable, as was the instinctual reaction to a potential pressing danger. As also was his later jadedness, the burning anger to never let them even near Asuna again. I believe that next time, if given the chance, Kirito will have his first PK. I say first, because not only do we canonically have the one kill in the OG, but I imagine there will be more along the way, as PKing is playing a much greater role, and making the series much darker, than the OG went. Not only that, the discussion around the technical specifics of the Alignment Restoration quests not only is good world building, but I believe is a foreshadowing that we will see likely more than one of those, with the detailed added difficulty of each(Kirito mentioning three layers deep).

Also, Kizmel is still Kizmel, and such a dearie. The hyper-protectiveness of our early-blossoming couple of misfits is heartwarming, and she continues to make us ask the questions Kirito asked but we never had in the OG a good insight into why. What truly is the difference between the virtual and the material? Are we not all going through our own realms, on our own quests, doing our own things, engaging with one another and those who connect to us outside our network? And where is the line drawn regarding what is “real,” and to be valued, to be treasured, to be protected, to sacrifice for?

I do not foresee a happy ending to the Elf War questline. I think Kizmel is going to end up sacrificing herself, possibly not even against a boss but against the meddling of Morumo yet again, getting slain and giving Kirito the final tipping point to exterminate Morumo, even though I think Kirito might have already reached that point or will with their next encounter even without Kizmel being slain. Time will tell, but I think the Storyteller and the poison curing side-quest will prove to be an instrumental part of Volume Six and beyond. Our favorite FullDive Non-Conformant might come into play depending on if the cure can be augmented onto any weapon/item. Or it may just be some sort of early-stage crystal(which was mentioned as starting to rarely drop), which is fine too.

I need more Argo. Argo is my favorite, absolutely love her. Such a cheeky little rat(literally), but also so genuine, earnest, and caring. She wants money sure, and absolutely plays broker-games, but she has her morals locked tight, and she above all else wants to ensure that the Frontline is equipped to handle what lies ahead, between these early stages with the beta knowledge and her highly-specific build to scope the differences early on and the unknowns that lie ahead.

So so good, ahhhhhhhhhhh.